Robust model-based fault estimation and fault-tolerant control : towards an integration

To maintain robustly acceptable system performance, fault estimation (FE) is adopted to reconstruct fault signals and a fault-tolerant control (FTC) controller is employed to compensate for the fault effects. The inevitably existing system and estimation uncertainties result in the so-called bi-directional robustness interactions defined in this work between the FE and FTC functions, which gives rise to an important and challenging yet open integrated FE/FTC design problem concerned in this thesis. An example of fault-tolerant wind turbine pitch control is provided as a practical motivation for integrated FE/FTC design.To achieve the integrated FE/FTC design for linear systems, two strategies are proposed. A H∞ optimization based approach is first proposed for linear systems with differentiable matched faults, using augmented state unknown input observer FE and adaptive sliding mode FTC. The integrated design is converted into an observer-based robust control problem solved via a single-step linear matrix inequality formulation.With the purpose of an integrated design with more freedom and also applicable for a range of general fault scenarios, a decoupling approach is further proposed. This approach can estimate and compensate unmatched non-differentiable faults and perturbations by combined adaptive sliding mode augmented state unknown input observer and backstepping FTC controller. The observer structure renders a recovery of the Separation Principle and allows great freedom for the FE/FTC designs.Integrated FE/FTC design strategies are also developed for Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy modelling nonlinear systems, Lipschitz nonlinear systems, and large-scale interconnected systems, based on extensions of the H∞ optimization approach for linear systems.Tutorial examples are used to illustrate the design strategies for each approach. Physical systems, a 3-DOF (degree-of-freedom) helicopter and a 3-machine power system, are used to provide further evaluation of the proposed integrated FE/FTC strategies. Future research on this subject is also outlined

Decentralized Output Sliding-Mode Fault-Tolerant Control for Heterogeneous Multiagent Systems

This paper proposes a novel decentralized output sliding-mode fault-tolerant control (FTC) design for heterogeneous multiagent systems (MASs) with matched disturbances, unmatched nonlinear interactions, and actuator faults. The respective iteration and iteration-free algorithms in the sliding-mode FTC scheme are designed with adaptive upper bounding laws to automatically compensate the matched and unmatched components. Then, a continuous fault-tolerant protocol in the observer-based integral sliding-mode design is developed to guarantee the asymptotic stability of MASs and the ultimate boundedness of the estimation errors. Simulation results validate the efficiency of the proposed FTC algorithm

On-line estimation approaches to fault-tolerant control of uncertain systems

This thesis is concerned with fault estimation in Fault-Tolerant Control (FTC) and as such involves the joint problem of on-line estimation within an adaptive control system. The faults that are considered are significant uncertainties affecting the control variables of the process and their estimates are used in an adaptive control compensation mechanism. The approach taken involves the active FTC, as the faults can be considered as uncertainties affecting the control system. The engineering (application domain) challenges that are addressed are: (1) On-line model-based fault estimation and compensation as an FTC problem, for systems with large but bounded fault magnitudes and for which the faults can be considered as a special form of dynamic uncertainty. (2) Fault-tolerance in the distributed control of uncertain inter-connected systems The thesis also describes how challenge (1) can be used in the distributed control problem of challenge (2). The basic principle adopted throughout the work is that the controller has two components, one involving the nominal control action and the second acting as an adaptive compensation for significant uncertainties and fault effects. The fault effects are a form of uncertainty which is considered too large for the application of passive FTC methods. The thesis considers several approaches to robust control and estimation: augmented state observer (ASO); sliding mode control (SMC); sliding mode fault estimation via Sliding Mode Observer (SMO); linear parameter-varying (LPV) control; two-level distributed control with learning coordination

Hierarchical-Structure-Based Fault Estimation and Fault-Tolerant Control for Multiagent Systems

This paper proposes a hierarchical-structure-based fault estimation and fault-tolerant control design with bidirectional interactions for nonlinear multiagent systems with actuator faults. The hierarchical structure consists of distributed multiagent system hierarchy, undirected topology hierarchy, decentralized fault estimation hierarchy, and distributed fault-tolerant control hierarchy. The states and faults of the system are estimated simultaneously by merging the unknown input observer in a decentralized fashion. The distributed-constant-gain-based and node-based fault-tolerant control schemes are developed to guarantee the asymptotic stability and H-infinity performance of multiagent systems, respectively, based on the estimated information in the fault estimation hierarchy and the relative output information from neighbors. Two simulation cases validate the efficiency of the proposed hierarchical structure control algorithm

Predictive control approaches to fault tolerant control of wind turbines

This thesis focuses on active fault tolerant control (AFTC) of wind turbine systems. Faults in wind turbine systems can be in the form of sensor faults, actuator faults, or component faults. These faults can occur in different locations, such as the wind speed sensor, the generator system, drive train system or pitch system. In this thesis, some AFTC schemes are proposed for wind turbine faults in the above locations. Model predictive control (MPC) is used in these schemes to design the wind turbine controller such that system constraints and dual control goals of the wind turbine are considered. In order to deal with the nonlinearity in the turbine model, MPC is combined with Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy modelling. Different fault diagnosis methods are also proposed in different AFTC schemes to isolate or estimate wind turbine faults.The main contributions of the thesis are summarized as follows:A new effective wind speed (EWS) estimation method via least-squares support vector machines (LSSVM) is proposed. Measurements from the wind turbine rotor speed sensor and the generator speed sensor are utilized by LSSVM to estimate the EWS. Following the EWS estimation, a wind speed sensor fault isolation scheme via LSSVM is proposed.A robust predictive controller is designed to consider the EWS estimation error. This predictive controller serves as the baseline controller for the wind turbine system operating in the region below rated wind speed.T-S fuzzy MPC combining MPC and T-S fuzzy modelling is proposed to design the wind turbine controller. MPC can deal with wind turbine system constraints externally. On the other hand, T-S fuzzy modelling can approximate the nonlinear wind turbine system with a linear time varying (LTV) model such that controller design can be based on this LTV model. Therefore, the advantages of MPC and T-S fuzzy modelling are both preserved in the proposed T-S fuzzy MPC.A T-S fuzzy observer, based on online eigenvalue assignment, is proposed as the sensor fault isolation scheme for the wind turbine system. In this approach, the fuzzy observer is proposed to deal with the nonlinearity in the wind turbine system and estimate system states. Furthermore, the residual signal generated from this fuzzy observer is used to isolate the faulty sensor.A sensor fault diagnosis strategy utilizing both analytical and hardware redundancies is proposed for wind turbine systems. This approach is proposed due to the fact that in the real application scenario, both analytical and hardware redundancies of wind turbines are available for designing AFTC systems.An actuator fault estimation method based on moving horizon estimation (MHE) is proposed for wind turbine systems. The estimated fault by MHE is then compensated by a T-S fuzzy predictive controller. The fault estimation unit and the T-S fuzzy predictive controller are combined to form an AFTC scheme for wind turbine actuator faults

Wind Turbine Reliability Improvement by Fault Tolerant Control

This thesis investigates wind turbine reliability improvement, utilizing model-based fault tolerant control, so that the wind turbine continues to operate satisfactorily with the same performance index in the presence of faults as in fault-free situations. Numerical simulations are conducted on the wind turbine bench mark model associated with the considered faults and comparison is made between the performance of the proposed controllers and industrial controllers illustrating the superiority of the proposed ones

Observer based active fault tolerant control of descriptor systems

The active fault tolerant control (AFTC) uses the information provided by fault detection and fault diagnosis (FDD) or fault estimation (FE) systems offering an opportunity to improve the safety, reliability and survivability for complex modern systems. However, in the majority of the literature the roles of FDD/FE and reconfigurable control are described as separate design issues often using a standard state space (i.e. non-descriptor) system model approach. These separate FDD/FE and reconfigurable control designs may not achieve desired stability and robustness performance when combined within a closed-loop system.This work describes a new approach to the integration of FE and fault compensation as a form of AFTC within the context of a descriptor system rather than standard state space system. The proposed descriptor system approach has an integrated controller and observer design strategy offering better design flexibility compared with the equivalent approach using a standard state space system. An extended state observer (ESO) is developed to achieve state and fault estimation based on a joint linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach to pole-placement and H∞ optimization to minimize the effects of bounded exogenous disturbance and modelling uncertainty. A novel proportional derivative (PD)-ESO is introduced to achieve enhanced estimation performance, making use of the additional derivative gain. The proposed approaches are evaluated using a common numerical example adapted from the recent literature and the simulation results demonstrate clearly the feasibility and power of the integrated estimation and control AFTC strategy. The proposed AFTC design strategy is extended to an LPV descriptor system framework as a way of dealing with the robustness and stability of the system with bounded parameter variations arising from the non-linear system, where a numerical example demonstrates the feasibility of the use of the PD-ESO for FE and compensation integrated within the AFTC system.A non-linear offshore wind turbine benchmark system is studied as an application of the proposed design strategy. The proposed AFTC scheme uses the existing industry standard wind turbine generator angular speed reference control system as a “baseline” control within the AFTC scheme. The simulation results demonstrate the added value of the new AFTC system in terms of good fault tolerance properties, compared with the existing baseline system

Fault Diagnosis and Performance Recovery Based on the Dynamic Safety Margin

The complexity of modern industrial processes makes high dependability an essential demand for reducing production loss, avoiding equipment damage, and increasing human safety. A more dependable system is a system that has the ability to: 1) detect faults as fast as possible; 2) diagnose them accurately; 3) recover the system to the nominal performance as much as possible. Therefore, a robust Fault Detection and Isolation (FDI) and a Fault Tolerant Control (FTC) system design have attained increased attention during the last decades. This thesis focuses on the design of a robust model-based FDI system and a performance recovery controller based on a new performance index called Dynamic Safety Margin (DSM). The DSM index is used to measure the distance between a predefined safety boundary in the state space and the system state trajectory as it evolves. The DSM concept, its computation methods, and its relationship to the state constraints are addressed. The DSM can be used in different control system applications; some of them are highlighted in this work. Controller design based on DSM is especially useful for safety-critical systems to maintain a predefined margin of safety during the transient and in the presence of large disturbances. As a result, the application of DSM to controller design and adaptation is discussed in particular for model predictive control (MPC) and PID controller. Moreover, an FDI scheme based on the analysis of the DSM is proposed. Since it is difficult to isolate different types of faults using a single model, a multi-model approach is employed in this FDI scheme. The proposed FDI scheme is not restricted to a special type of fault. In some faulty situations, recovering the system performance to the nominal one cannot be fulfilled. As a result, reducing the output performance is necessary in order to increase the system availability. A framework of FTC system is proposed that combines the proposed FDI and the controllers design based on DSM, in particular MPC, with accepted degraded performance in order to generate a reliable FTC system. The DSM concept and its applications are illustrated using simulation examples. Finally, these applications are implemented in real-time for an experimental two-tank system. The results demonstrate the fruitfulness of the introduced approaches

Adaptive Optimal Control of Faulty Nonlinear DC Microgrids with Constant Power Loads: Dual-Extended Kalman Filter Approach

This article investigates the problem of estimating actuator fault and states and controlling the bus voltage in direct current microgrids (DC MGs) with linear and nonlinear constant power loads (CPLs). It is considered that the DC MG states are not fully measurable and the utilized sensors are not ideal and noisy. Additionally, the actuator fault occurs and it is modeled as an additive term in the power system dynamics. These issues, including nonlinearities, un-measurable states, noisy measures, and actuator fault indispensably degrade the operation of the DC MG. To solve this issue, initially, a dual-extended Kalman filter (dual-EKF) is suggested for the fault and state estimation. It decomposes the process of estimating the state and actuator fault to reduce the online computational burden. For the control purpose, a linear parameter varying (LPV) model predictive control (MPC) is suggested to regulate the current and voltage of the DC MG. It benefits the nonlinear system modeling of LPV representation and constrained-based design procedure of the MPC to result in an accurate and low online computational burden dealing with system constraints. By deploying the overall robust adaptive dual-EKF estimation-based LPV-MPC, there is no need to have any prior knowledge of all system states and actuator faults in prior. The theoretical analysis and controller design are validated by numerical simulations on a typical islanded DC MG and comparisons are done with state-of-the-art estimation and control strategies.©2022 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed